Free money advice from councils for welfare recipients

Councils will provide free money advice to families or individuals who are on government welfare schemes. The advice will help the person with a range of financial needs, including budgeting, information on how to pay down or off debt, linkage to other government financial aid such as housing or free school lunches, employment, and more. The aim of the free money advice is to ensure welfare claimants get the long term help they need.

No money changes hands from this service. This will be a free advice service from a council. Or the government may rely on not for profits or charities (such as credit unions) to offer financial advice. Services are usually offered by a council online, face to face in person or over the phones.

Examples of money advice to people on welfare

There is help for people who are struggling with unmanageable bills or debts. Whether car or payday loans, credit card debts or mortgages, council advice will try to help families get out of debt. The process can include many steps.

Money advice will start by helping the welfare recipient understand all the debts they owe, and write them down. It will be how much is owed on each debt as well as interest rates and payment terms. The council will help the client get in touch with who to speak to about the debt. Since the client is on welfare benefits with a limited income and bills to pay, the free money advice workshops will help ensure any payment plan is realistic. All the the debt arrears help schemes are free to those in need.

Free budgeting advice can help welfare claimaints, in particular those on Universal Credit. Councils will usually have the person right down every bill they pay for a month or two as well as dollar earned or coming in from benefits, wages, welfare payments, pensions and other sources. Then a plan with the family budget is put together with the council, and the council will even link people to budgeting Loans from Universal Credit.

Council or not-for profit counsellors will give free advice. It will help clients make their money and income last longer. Learn how to shop smarter, cutting back, using debt smarter or not at all, saving goals, and more. The budget starts the process, but the money advice from the council deals with long term solutions.

Maximising income is important for stability. Money advice helps with that need too. Councils give advice on this, including New Enterprise Allowance scheme, apprenticeships, work trials and more. As making money and bring in funds is very important when it comes to sorting out money problems. Jobcentre Plus from the Department for Work and Pensions often works with local councils to help welfare beneficiaries.

Link to financial help in addition to welfare

Counsellors will also help clients ensure they are getting all the benefits and financial help they can. As many people who are on welfare are entitled to other support from the government. There are many options, and the money advice workshops review government schemes including Warm Home Discounts, energy bill help for council housing tenants, applications to LEAP (Local energy advice partnership), linkage to council’s price comparison energy switch site, food banks and more.

All of those financial help programmes are emergency schemes. They are not long term solutions, as the money advise process from councils will stress budgeting, debt reductions, income (working for money), saving and shopping smarter and more. The aim is to ensure families are receiving the benefits they are entitled too. But the additional financial help from the government can help fill the gap as the advice from the council continues.

The services above are for welfare recipients. Always be sure to enquire with a local council about them. They are free to people on welfare as well as anyone who is part of the council region.